Adaptor assembly for removable components

ABSTRACT

An assembly is provided with a housing, a guide sleeve, and a spring. The guide sleeve may be at least partially housed within the housing. The spring may be disposed to abut against the housing and the guide sleeve.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was made with support from the U.S. Government undercontract FA8650-07-C-2802 awarded by the United States Air Force.Pursuant to this contract, the government may have certain rights inthis invention.

BACKGROUND

The disclosed embodiments generally pertain to gas turbine engines, andparticularly to adaptor assemblies for removing and installing removablecomponents, as they are used in gas turbine engines.

SUMMARY

A first embodiment of the present invention provides an assembly that isprovided with a housing, a guide sleeve, and a spring. The guide sleevemay be at least partially housed within the housing, and the spring maybe disposed to abut against the housing and the guide sleeve.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides an assembly with ahousing, a guide sleeve, a spring, and a retainer. The retainer may behoused within the housing, and the guide sleeve may be at leastpartially housed within the housing, and may further at least partiallyextend through the retainer. The spring may be disposed to abut againstthe housing and the guide sleeve.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides a housing, aguide sleeve, a spring, and a retainer. The retainer may be housedwithin the housing, and the guide sleeve may also be at least partiallyhoused within the housing, and at least partially extend through theretainer. The spring may be at least partially housed within the guidesleeve, and may be disposed to bias the guide sleeve against theretainer.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a housing having ahousing first end and an opposed housing second end, the housing havingan opening therethrough extending through the housing first end and thehousing second end. A guide sleeve may be provided with a guide sleevefirst end and an opposed guide sleeve second end. The guide sleeve mayhave an opening therethrough extending through the guide sleeve firstend and the guide sleeve second end. A spring may be provided where thespring may be at least partially housed within the guide sleeve and atleast partially extends through the guide sleeve second end. The guidesleeve may be at least partially housed within the housing, and theguide sleeve first end may extend through the housing first end.

Other aspects of the present invention may provide a seal mounted to aguide sleeve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the followingillustrations.

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded assembly view of an embodiment of anadaptor assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional exploded assembly view of the embodiment ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an adaptor assembly that is removablymounted within a gas turbine engine via threaded fasteners.

FIG. 4 depicts the adaptor assembly of FIG. 3 in an un-mounted state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A typical gas turbine engine generally possesses a forward end and anaft end with its several components following inline therebetween. Anair inlet or intake is at a forward end of the engine and may have anintegral particle separator incorporated therein. Moving toward the aftend, in order, the intake is followed by a compressor, a combustionchamber, a turbine, and a nozzle at the aft end of the engine. It willbe readily apparent to those skilled in the art that additionalcomponents may also be included in the engine, such as, for example,low-pressure and high-pressure compressors, high-pressure andlow-pressure turbines, and an external shaft. This, however, is not anexhaustive list. An engine also typically has an internal shaft axiallydisposed through a center longitudinal axis of the engine. The internalshaft is connected to both the turbine and the air compressor, such thatthe turbine provides a rotational input to the air compressor to drivethe compressor blades. A typical gas turbine engine may also beconsidered to have an outer circumference, as they are typicallycylindrical in shape.

As used herein, the terms “radial” or “radially” refer to a dimensionextending between a central longitudinal axis of the engine and an outerengine circumference. The use of the terms “proximal” or “proximally,”either by themselves or in conjunction with the terms “radial” or“radially,” refers to moving in a direction toward the centerlongitudinal axis, or a component being relatively closer to the centerlongitudinal axis as compared to another component. The use of the terms“distal” or “distally,” either by themselves or in conjunction with theterms “ radial” or “radially,” refers to moving in a direction towardthe outer engine circumference, or a component being relatively closerto the outer engine circumference as compared to another component.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, an adaptor assembly 100 for mounting aremovable component 200 to a combustor case of a gas turbine engine isprovided. The adaptor assembly 100 may be mounted to a combustorassembly 300, and preferably on a combustor case 302. A combustor liner304 may be provided within the combustor case 302, with a bypass flowpath 306 disposed therebetween. A combustion chamber 308 is preferablycontained within the combustor liner 304. It is appreciated that theadaptor assembly 100 may be used for a variety of removable components,such as, for example, an igniter, a pressure sensor, a U.V. detector, adynamic average pressure sensor, or any other active or passivecomponent. For simplicity, the present embodiments of the adaptorassembly will be explained as used with an igniter 200 as used in a gasturbine engine.

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, one embodiment of an adaptor assembly 100is provided with an igniter housing 102, a guide sleeve 104, a ferruleseal 106, a spring 108, and a retainer 110. The housing 102 at leastpartially houses the guide sleeve 104 and spring 108. The retainer 110is mounted within the housing 102 to thereby capture the guide sleeve104 and spring 108 and the ferrule seal 106 mates with the guide sleeve104. Because of the high temperatures of a gas turbine engine that theadaptor assembly is employed, all components are preferably made of ahigh strength and high temperature tolerant material.

The housing 102 is provided with a radially distal first end 103 and anopposed radially proximal second end 105 with an opening 112 extendingtherethrough along an adaptor assembly longitudinal axis 101. Thehousing 102 may be generally cylindrical and provided with a conicalentrance 114 through the opening 112 at the housing radially distalfirst end 103. The housing 102 may further be provided with an internalshoulder 116 to provide a surface for the spring 108 to abut against.The housing 102 may also be provided with an external shoulder 118. Theexternal shoulder 118 may further be provided with one or more lobes 119and openings 122 therethrough to facilitate releasably mounting theadaptor assembly 100 to the combustor case 302 by, for example, threadedfasteners 120. The housing 102 may also be provided with an internalthreaded section 124 to releasably mount the igniter 200 within thehousing opening 112.

A guide sleeve 104 is provided with a radially distal first end 107 andan opposed radially proximal second end 109 and may be at leastpartially housed within the housing radially proximal second end 105.The guide sleeve 104 may be generally cylindrical and may be providedwith a circumferential tang 126 at its radially proximal second end 109.The guide sleeve 104 may also be provided with a spherical or generallyspherical end surface 127 at its radially proximal second end 109. Theguide sleeve tang 126 mates with a circumferential tang 128 on a ferruleseal 106. The ferrule seal tang 128 may also be provided with one ormore swage tabs 129 to secure the guide sleeve 104. The guide sleeve endsurface 127 may mate with and abut against a corresponding spherical orgenerally spherical surface 131 on the ferrule seal 106. The ferruleseal 106 may also have a flat or generally flat surface 135 that maymate with and abut against a flat or generally flat surface 305 on thecombustor liner 304. The ferrule seal 106 may also be provided with oneor more holes 130 therethrough to provide cooling gasses to the ignitertip 202. This cooling effect helps to reduce corrosion and otherdamaging effects to the igniter tip 202 that the tip 202 may be subjectto due to the environment in which it is employed. In turn, this mayincrease the service life of the igniter 200. The ferrule seal 106 maybe provided with any number and size of holes 130 to achieve the desiredcooling effect and still maintain a sufficient seal between the bypassflow path 306 and combustor chamber 308, and may preferably be providedwith three to six equally spaced holes 130.

The guide sleeve 104 may further be provided with an internal shoulder132. The shoulder may provide an abutment surface for the spring 108,such that the spring 108 is disposed between the housing internalshoulder 116 and the guide sleeve internal shoulder 132. The spring 108may be at least partially housed by the guide sleeve 104 and may atleast partially extend out of the guide sleeve radially distal first end107. A retainer 110 may be disposed within the radially proximal secondend 105 of the housing opening 112. The retainer 110 may be, forexample, a split washer and may be provided with tabs to assist inassembly of the adaptor assembly 100. The guide sleeve 104 may beprovided with an external shoulder 133 that may abut against theretainer 110 to capture the sleeve 104 within the housing 102. The guidesleeve may at least partially extend out of the housing 102 through theretainer 110.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, an assembled adaptor assembly 100 isshown in a releasably mounted state (FIG. 3) and an un-mounted state(FIG. 4) in relation to a combustor case 302.

Referring to FIG. 3, the adaptor assembly 100 is releasably mounted tothe combustor case 302 via one or more threaded fasteners 120 throughopenings 122 in the housing shoulder lobes 119. This places the housing102 in a fixed position, while allowing the spring 108 to abut againstthe housing internal shoulder 116 and the guide sleeve internal shoulder132. The spring 108 biases the guide sleeve 104 out of the radiallyproximal end 105 of the housing 102 towards the combustor liner 304 topress the guide sleeve end surface 104 against the ferrule seal 106,which is then pressed against the combustor liner 304. Thisconfiguration allows the spring 108 to be housed within the housing 102and guide sleeve 104 away from the combustion chamber 308. This keepsthe spring 108 relatively cooler to thereby increase its service life.The guide sleeve 104 also protects the spring 108 and the igniter 200 orother removable components from any debris that may be flowing throughthe bypass flow path 306.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the adaptor assembly 100 is disengaged from thecombustor case 302. With no fastener 120 to secure the housing 102 inplace, the spring 108 is free to expand and push the guide sleeve 104toward the radially proximal end 105 of the housing 102. The placementof the retainer 110 within the radially proximal end 105 of the housingopening 112 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) prevents the guide sleeve 104 and spring108 from falling out of the housing 102. This allows the adaptorassembly 100 to be assembled entirely outside of a gas turbine engineand then be mounted on the combustor case 302 as a single unit.

To assemble the adaptor assembly 100, one would place the spring 108 andradially distal first end 107 of the guide sleeve 104 within the housingopening 112 at its radially proximal second end 105. One would thencompress the spring 108 and slip the retainer 110 past the guide sleevetang 126 and secure the retainer 110 within the second end 105 of thehousing opening 112. The ferrule seal 106 and igniter 200 may be securedto the assembly at any convenient stage of assembly. This embodimentalso allows for the igniter 200 to be replaced while the adaptorassembly 100 is mounted to the combustor case 302.

The foregoing written description of structures and methods has beenpresented for purposes of illustration. Examples are used to disclosethe invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any personskilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and usingany devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. Theseexamples are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention tothe precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and many modifications andvariations are possible in light of the above teaching. Featuresdescribed herein may be combined in any combination. Steps of a methoddescribed herein may be performed in any sequence that is physicallypossible. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by theappended claims, and may include other examples that occur to thoseskilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within thescope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differfrom the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalentstructural elements with insubstantial differences from the literallanguages of the claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a housing, a guidesleeve with a generally spherical end surface, and a spring; whereinsaid guide sleeve is at least partially housed within said housing, andat least partially extending through said housing; wherein said springis disposed to abut against said housing and said guide sleeve; and, aferrule seal mounted to said guide sleeve, said ferrule seal having aplurality of radially extending cooling apertures, said coolingapertures disposed above sealing surfaces which extend in acircumferential direction of said ferrule seal.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said guide sleeve with a generally spherical surfaceabuts against a generally spherical surface on said ferrule seal.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a removable component mountedto said housing and passing through said housing and said guide sleeve.4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said spring abuts against aninternal surface of said housing and an internal surface of said guidesleeve.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said spring biases saidhousing and said guide sleeve away from one another.
 6. An apparatuscomprising: a housing, a guide sleeve with a generally spherical endsurface, a spring, and a retainer; said housing having a wall extendingbeyond a shoulder of said guide sleeve; said retainer positioned on aninner surface of said wall of said housing; a ferrule seal mounted tosaid guide sleeve, said ferrule seal having a plurality of radiallyextending cooling apertures disposed above a sealing surface whichextends in a circumferential direction of said ferrule seal; whereinsaid guide sleeve is at least partially housed within said housing, andat least partially extending through said retainer; and wherein saidspring is at least partially housed within said guide sleeve, whereinsaid spring is disposed to bias said guide sleeve against said retainerand wherein said retainer provides a limit for movement of said guidesleeve relative to said housing.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, whereinsaid ferrule seal is provided with one or more openings therethrough. 8.The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: a removable componentmounted to said housing; wherein said ferrule seal at least partiallyhouses an end of said removable component.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6,wherein said spring abuts against an internal surface of said housing.10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said housing is generallycylindrical.
 11. An apparatus comprising: a housing having a housingfirst end and an opposed housing second end, said housing having anopening therethrough extending through said housing first end and saidhousing second end, a retainer removably mounted within said housingsecond end; a guide sleeve with a generally spherical end surface havinga guide sleeve first end and an opposed guide sleeve second end; saidguide sleeve having an opening therethrough extending through said guidesleeve first end and said guide sleeve second end; and a spring; whereinsaid guide sleeve is at least partially housed within said housing, andwherein said guide sleeve first end extends through said housing secondend; a ferrule seal having a plurality of radially extending coolingapertures mounted to said guide sleeve second end; and wherein saidspring is at least partially housed within said guide sleeve and atleast partially extends through said guide sleeve first end; a removablecomponent extending through said housing and said guide sleeve, saidremovable component having an end which is substantially flush with acombustor liner; said housing, said guide sleeve and said spring eachbeing at least partially disposed within a combustor casing.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein said ferrule seal abuts against agenerally flat surface on said combustor liner.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 11, wherein said spring abuts against an internal surface of saidhousing.
 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein an external surface ofsaid guide sleeve abuts against said retainer and said guide sleeveextends through said retainer.
 15. The apparatus of claim 11, whereinsaid housing and said guide sleeve are generally cylindrical.